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Right now, all eyes are on Giannis Antetokounmpo. And rightfully so. The Milwaukee Bucks star is one of the best players on the planet, and based on the way recent rumors have been reported, the New York Knicks seem to have a chance to land him. But if they don’t, they should still have a backup plan.
Things haven’t worked out perfectly in New York this year. Obviously, they’ve found a way to piece things together as of late, but for a while, the Knicks looked rough. Rough enough to the point where Karl-Anthony Towns’ name was being mentioned in trade rumors.
And considering the recent rumors that Milwaukee could wait until the summer to trade Antetokounmpo, the Knicks may not land him at the deadline. So, even if the Knicks don’t get Antetokounmpo at the deadline, they should have a backup plan.
Knicks should still take a swing if Giannis trade doesn’t happen
New York should make a big-swing move at this year’s deadline. There have been some rumblings that they could trade Guerschon Yabusele for a guy like Jose Alvarado or Keon Ellis, but that’s not enough.
Don’t get me wrong, Alvarado and Ellis are great basketball players. And they would definitely help the Knicks win games. But it’s not enough. Not for what the Knicks hope to accomplish this season.
The Eastern Conference has never been more wide open. The Detroit Pistons are elite (but young). The Boston Celtics are very good (but still missing Jayson Tatum). And everyone else is everyone else.
New York has a chance to put itself firmly ahead of the pack if they make the right trade at the deadline, and taking a massive swing could be the best way to do that.
The question is, if Antetokounmpo ends up sticking with Milwaukee past the deadline or getting traded somewhere else, what is that swing going to be?
Well, take a look at Jaren Jackson Jr. If the Knicks want to improve their defense, then he’s the guy. He’s a solid offensive player, but he could take their defense to the next level (and he’s been solid as a pick-and-roll man this year, too).
Or what about trying to trade Towns to the LA Clippers for Ivica Zubac, Derrick Jones Jr., and Kris Dunn? Would they even be interested? Maybe not, but it would be a huge help to New York’s defensive infrastructure. (Jones needs to get healthy, though.)
The Knicks could even go big and target a player like Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, or Lauri Markkanen. The point is, adding more talent should be a top priority. And not just a role player.